The last time we checked in, it seemed the NYU Bike Share Program was having difficulty propping their kick-stand. Not so after their launch this summer at Greenwich Hotel and Founder’s Hall. The program has been so successful that they’ve expanded their outposts to Palladium, Gramercy, and Goddard. As the first program of its kind in New York City or any large urban university, they’ve been cautious to get the entire campus on the program’s Biria Easy Boarding Cruisers, but they seem to be well on their way.

At present they have 154 users sharing 30 bikes at the five different locations, and none of the users are paying a dime. The program, funded and supported by The NYU Office of Sustainability, is absolutely free.

The Bike Share Program is really into helping the average NYU student integrate into a full-time biker. “Buying a bike, lights, a lock, and a helmet is an expensive investment, particularly if you’re not sure how much use you’ll get out of your bike,” said Mike Sandmel, Program Assistant of Energy and Transportation, in an email, “The NYU Bike Share exists to help lower these barriers to entry by letting [users] try cycling in the city before (or instead of) buying their own equipment. Additionally, by tying registration in the program to a safety session, we make sure that users are, at the very least, aware of the major safety issues and rules of the road that effect cyclists.”

Of course, the more people use it, the more it will grow. Sandmel added, “We’re planning to add locations at Rubin and Brittany this fall… In terms of adding bikes to the program, its sort of a function of demand. If it reaches a point where bikes are never available we’ll have a great argument for getting more money for bikes from the University.”